How exciting
Yes, the 拖鞋 (tuoxie) has arrived at Chanel. Even slippers have its place under the bouclé. To quote the late Karl Lagerfeld referring to sweatpants, is this, too, "a sign of defeat?" For spring/summer 2024, Virginie Viard decided to give Havaianas a run for their money. The models, all dressed up, wore black flip-flops (we are not sure if they're rubber), a style choice many office girls here could relate too, when they're off to lunch. Sure, Chanel has offered flat, open footwear before, such as slides and those orthopaedic sandals akin to Birkenstocks, but not, as far as we can remember, thonged slippers that would be perfectly at home in a wet market. In one of the beach wear looks, the said footwear is understandable, even with the shorts or the jeans, but with the bouclé skirt-suit or gown, less so. Or, has stealth wealth really gone south?
It really boiled down to that familiar Chanel fabric, and there is much of it this season. But take that away, the footwear and so much else have little to be considered distinctive. The bouclé, although made of "fancy" yarns, is considered versatile enough for use across garment types and Ms Viard has employed them with full force, on practically everything. The fabric allowed her to do as little as possible on the garments. Imagine the Chanel jacket in plain-weave cotton—what would be its fate? Ms Viard is aware of the pull of the bouclé. Even with the unremarkable accoutrements, the clothes in the house fabrics will offset the latter's nothingness. Apart from the slippers, she offered flats too (many of them), such as those Mary Janes (in white, they look like nurses' footwear meets schoolgirls' plimsolls) and bow-topped pumps. On the feet, it could be quiet luxury, but on their own, seen without the bouclé, they could be quiet, but no luxury.
This going "simple", as it has been said following the show, was extended to the presentation itself. Was it us or was the Chanel show looking like Dior's? The grand pageantry of Karl Lagerfeld-era presentations has long gone. In its place has been something that reflects Ms Viards penchant for the practical. This season, the illustrations on walls and models walking alongside were evocative of the shows under Maria Grazia Chiuri's watch. The audience sat in the middle of the space, under some kind of a truss system. Why the need for hard lines in the vast pillar-less space in the Grand Palais Ephemere, an exhibit hall in central Paris, is not immediately clear. To add to the simplicité, the soundtrack featured girlish tunefulness, such as Pure Smile Snake Venom by Eartheater, I'm not Dancing by Tirzah, and Porqué The Vas (Because you are Leaving) by the English-born Spanish songstress Jeanette—easy summer listening.
But even easier were the clothes. As there was nothing remarkable to arouse passion, Ms Viard added superfluous parts to the looks, such as the black engageantes ('false' or detachable sleeves), some worn like massive puff-cuffs, as counterpoint to the otherwise tenacious familiarity of the shapes (those unflattering, elongated cardigans!). Or black pocket bags hanging on the outside of a skirt. To be certain, she did try to be "avant-garde", as some have described it—a pink bouclé skirt (as well as a different top in white) with a centre seam and different lengths on each side, framed with a chevron trim in matching colours. That was probably avant-garde to her. But trending are those slippers, the footwear that is expected to go big. Is it because we no longer look at footwear to guage a person's taste and wealth?
Photos: Chanel
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